Trump Threatens “Secondary Tariffs” on Russian Oil Exports if Ukraine Conflict Deal Fails
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose “secondary tariffs” on Russian oil exports if he fails to broker a deal with Moscow to end the conflict in Ukraine, as per NBC News.
The president expressed dissatisfaction at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s criticism of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, deeming Putin’s comments “not going in the right location.”
Agence France-Presse reported that Putin recently called for a transitional government to replace Zelensky’s administration in Ukraine, given its illegitimacy.
“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault – which it might not be – but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump was quoted as saying in a recent interview with the news outlet.
He elaborated:
“That would mean if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States. There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.”
Trump has previously criticized Zelensky’s handling of the war and labeled him a dictator.
Former President Biden banned Russian oil imports shortly after the conflict in Ukraine broke out in 2022. While the US still imports some Russian petroleum products, the overall amount has significantly decreased, with approximately 10,000 barrels of Russian crude oil and petroleum products imported in 2023, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Trump has previously announced similar “secondary tariffs” on Venezuela, targeting countries that purchase oil and gas from the South American nation.
According to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, major importers of Russian oil products include China, Turkey, Brazil, and India.
Ending the Ukraine war has been a key foreign policy promise for President Trump. He says to have facilitated meetings between US, Ukrainian, and Russian officials early in his term. Reportedly, a partial and limited ceasefire agreement, allowing safe navigation in the Black Sea and halting attacks on energy facilities, was recently reached.
Trump also stated that he intends to speak with Putin again this week to continue negotiations.
